The Yamas and Niyamas: Yoga’s Quiet Compass

Long before yoga was leggings, playlists, and perfect poses, it was philosophy – a guide to living with awareness and integrity.

In The Yoga Sutras (around 400 CE), Patañjali laid out eight limbs of yoga.

The first two, the Yamas and Niyamas, are the ethical foundations: how we relate to the world and to ourselves.

If yoga is a tree, these are the roots and soil.

Yamas

The Yamas teach restraint:

non-violence (Ahimsa),

truthfulness (Satya),

non-stealing (Asteya),

moderation (Brahmacharya),

non-attachment (Aparigraha).

Niyamas

The Niyamas teach observance:

purity (Saucha),

contentment (Santosha),

discipline (Tapas),

self-study (Svadhyaya), and

surrender (Ishvara Pranidhana).

Together, they’re less about rules and more about rhythm — how to move through life with balance, clarity, and grace.

In the modern yoga world, where the physical and sometimes metaphoric ‘kill or be killed’ mindset often takes centre stage, these principles feel more relevant than ever.

They bring us back to the why behind the what! From simply moving the body to meaningfully inhabiting it!

They remind us that yoga is as much about awareness and how we show up as it is about what we can do.

Interestingly, the Yamas and Niyamas echo ideas explored by today’s thinkers. Brené Brown’s work on vulnerability and wholehearted living beautifully mirrors Satya (truth) and Ahimsa (compassion). Her research on courage and connection reminds us that strength and softness can coexist.

Writers like Ryan Holiday, Robert Greene, and Tim Ferriss offer modern reflections of Tapas (discipline) and Svadhyaya (self-study) — practical philosophies for mastering the self in a busy, complex world.

And then there’s Jordan Peterson – divisive to some, thought-provoking to others. His call for order and responsibility may lack yoga’s gentleness, yet it speaks to the same search for structure and purpose – something ancient yoga philosophy also sought to provide, though through compassion rather than confrontation.

Different languages, same quest: awareness, discipline, purpose – all pointing toward the same human desire to live intentionally and meaningfully.

Together, these perspectives – ancient and modern, soft and sharp – invite us into the same conversation.

One that keeps asking:

How do I live well?

How do I stay true?

How do I show up, fully?

Something I’ll keep reflecting on each time I take to the mat.